Life's Simplest
by LynxbyLynx
Summary: Oogie's back with plans. Lock loves Shock. Barrel loves Lock. But Shock has feelings...for Lock's feline cousin Rift-raft? Join the gang on an adventure to save Halloween-town AND another holiday. Plus, as they develop their teenaged feelings.
1. Prologue

Prologue- The Ideas behind this story ((NOT PART OF THE STORY))

Hey guys. LynxbyLynx here. I figured I'd go through some of the general warnings and stuff in this area. Explain something's to you. Though, if you EVER have any questions-please ask…I'll try and explain as the story progresses too. Now, this would be my VERY FIRST attempt at TNBC fan fiction. I don't know why I've never tried one…I love the movie…have the special edition cd~ Double disc one with the remakes of some of the songs by other artists. Some are pretty good. ((Like Sally's Song redone by Fiona Apple))

I've been reading a lot of NBC fan fictions on the site…and got to thinking ((WARNING: Me thinking isn't always a good idea…but in this case…)) I'd read some stories about Lock, Shock and Barrel. AS TEENAGERS. And an idea occurred to me…If everyone was already putting Lock with Shock…or Barrel with Lock…Why couldn't I also manipulate the storyline for AFTER that…and throw in some of my own characters while I'm at it. So…Here's what my muse 'Stitch' started to whisper into my ear….

((SPOILER ALERT-but I feel I need to explain what you guys are about to get into))

Let's have Barrel wanting to be with Lock…./shrugs/ Dude kind of seems like he'd go like that…and have Lock wanting to be with Shock….and then…have SHOCK…((And the SUSPENSE IS KILLING ME…and I have to ruin this for you guys))….wanting a relationship…with Lock's cousin Rift-Raft.. ((My made-up whose also a girl)) WOW…Didn't see that coming…Yes…This will be about bi-sexual people….homosexual people…You've been warned! I mean, you aren't one of 'oogies boys' without being…a little…strange right? Well, I'm planning on bringing the oogie boogie back! MWAH HA HA HAA! And maybe having Halloween's finest trick-or-treaters…attempt to ruin another holiday…but Oogie's calling the shots…Plus…I'm going to develop Rift-raft…Now…as far as the RATING will go…I might have to bump it up…depending on what my brain thinks it wants to write out…I really want to try my hand at writing certain things…but I think I'll stick to bad language…and 'sexual' references…Yes I said it…but that's what this thing it here for…TO WARN YOU OF WHAT YOU ARE ABOUT TO GET YOURSELF INTO!

Do not flame me…and make little comments about how I'm not warning you guys and blah blah blah…If you don't like it…There's this little red x in the upper right hand corner…I'm pretty sure you know by now how to USE IT….And if you do like it…PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE review…I want reviews…begging for them…Just drop a line by saying your reading this…or what you think…or what you might want to see…or how OUT OF CHARACTER I've made too many of the characters…etc etc…you know~ That stuff. I don't think I will get to the MATURE level of rating…but if I do…or I think a chapter is…I will change the rating…Trust me…Well…You've been warned…Off you go to enjoy the first chapter…/waves you along/


	2. Chapter 1This is RiftRaft

[And I do not own NBC…Tim Burton…and the other people do…I own…my own character…and the plot…Read the prologue thing first…unless you just want me to 'surprise you'…I don't recommend that… Just sayin~]

Chapter One: This is Rift-Raft

Halloween's finest trick-or-treating trio were long past their younger years of simple pranks and trying to figure out who had the bigger cache of candy. No, they'd matured into respectable teenaged figures…as respectable as a trio of misfits can get around that age. Barrel was the youngest of the three. Lock and Shock were questionably the same age but if you ask one they'd always claim to be older then the other. Barrel had no problem with being the 'baby' of the group. He got more candy that way. As it was, this fine evening of October found two of the three in their giant tree house of doom squabbling over some video game.

"YOU HEIFER!" Shock snarled turning around and tackling Barrel, beating him with his own bone mask. "YOU SNEAKY LITTLE CHEATING LYING SON OF A-" She was cut off by the sound of someone clearing their throat. Shock looked up from her attempt to completely close Barrel's windpipes to see that Lock had returned, and with a friend. Shock was quick to look over this newer…threat? It was a female around her own age. She had…cat ears on the side of her head where real ears would've been. Shock was unsure if they were real, or just bared a very uncanny resemblance to something real.

The girl's hair was starch-white with a bit of black in it, and her ears and tail matched that coloring scheme. In fact, her entire outfit did. She had a black collar around her throat with a white bell, her boots were white with black fuzz, her tight fitting pants were black, her corset-like top was mostly white with black lacing, and she had fingerless black gloves. Her nails were sharp and came to small points, just like a cat's would. Her eyes were the most entrancing thing about her, or so it seemed to Shock that way. Barrel was completely uninterested in the new girl, well…except that she seemed to stay rather close to Lock. The girl's eyes were a strange golden-green hue that seemed to glow. Contacts? That damn-good? Everything about this girl said she went all out for Halloween, much like the trio.

"Lock~?" Shock questioned, standing up and straightening her outfit self-consciously. She still wore a purple witches hat, but her dress had become a little more sophisticated. It was still purple but had a built in corset-like top that hugged Shock's frame quite well and flared out in short ruffles for a skirt to show off her legs which were adorned with spider stockings, and her boot-like shoes were the same. The sleeves were tight on her arms but hung off in slight tendrils. Her dark green hair had grown out a bit and become fuller. "Whose this?"

"Shock, Barrel," Lock said indicating which was which," This is my cousin, Rift-Raft…she's going to be staying with us for a bit…" Shock's eyes traveled down the length of the girl's body just once, a bit of longing pulling at her. It wasn't fair. Lock hadn't ASKED any of them if they'd wanted someone else in their group. They were the TRIO, that meant THREE. NOT FOUR. Shock kept her arms crossed tightly underneath her bust, giving the girl her coldest look, she'd become renown for it.

"Grrreetings," The cat-girl said holding out a dainty hand, that's what Lock had noticed about her. The fact that this girl was kind of short and a little stumpy. Not in a totally unattractive way, but she definitely wasn't the one guy's attention was drawn to. But her voice, it came out silky…much like a cat's little purr would sound. Shock gave her hand and was a bit startled as Rift-raft pressed her lips to the tips of Shock's knuckles. Shock's heart sped up and she felt a bit of heat creeping into her cheeks. The girl let go and turned slightly to Lock. "It will be my pleasurrre to stay herrre." She also thrilled/rolled her r's as she spoke. Her eyes met Shock's and Shock wasn't too sure what the emotion was in there. Was it 'lets be friends'…or more? Was this…was this love?

** / ** / ** / ** / ** / **

"Sally?" Jack called out as he entered his library. Sally was perched on the windowsill staring out gloomily to the outside world as if she would never find joy again. "…Sally…dearest one…Whatever's wrong?" He knelt beside her. Even Zero let out a little whine as if he too wanted an answer. "Are you unhappy here with me?"

"oh…no," Sally said quickly looking at him almost startled. She tilted her head slightly and let out a sigh. "Jack…look at us…"

"yes?" Jack questioned a little confused. He was the pumpkin king…and she would soon be his pumpkin queen…was that…saddening? Maybe the sudden change was too much stress for her? He met Sally's eyes, wishing he could somehow make a connection about what was wrong with her.

"Jack…I love you," she said.

"And…I love you," he said still confused. She took his hands, and leaned her head against his shoulder.

"Jack…I want us to be a family," she confessed to him.

"Well…I know it's taken some time but I've worked things out with the Mayor and our weddings going to occur in just a few weeks-" he started to say and was cut off by her fingers against his mouth. He was startled.

"Jack…WE will be husband and wife…Together…but…" She said and sighed looking out the window again. "I…I want kids…"

"…oh… "Jack said quietly and pondered that too. Due to his skeleton complex he…couldn't have kids and Sally…was a rag doll…She couldn't have children either…literally. He hadn't really considered this before…but he could understand Sally's wants. He took her hands in his again and waited until he had her attention. "I promise…that I will do whatever I can to find a solution to our problems…." She smiled sweetly at him before enjoying a light kiss. Then he was off to go meet with the mayor to discuss and finalize the last details on Halloween. Sally sighed and gazed once more outside the window in deep thought.

** / ** / ** / ** / ** / **

"And THIS is where I share a room with Lock," Barrel said trudging along. He was giving Rift-raft a tour of their hideout since Lock and Shock were arguing about something. "And…you'll share a room with Shock…over here…" He stopped outside a door and pointed at it. "I'm not allowed in there…only Lock's been in there…Shock threatened to do something to his…" Barrel frowned as if he couldn't quite remember Shock's choice words in the matter. "I don't know…Lock saw her getting dressed…." he shrugged and trudged along.

"What's this?" Rift-raft asked, stopping beside a slightly stretched out chute of some sort.

"oh…That's where we made offerings to oogie boogie…" Barrel said with a sigh," Til Jack killed him…"

"Oh…and who is he exactly?" Rift-raft asked. Barrel was unsure which she meatn.

"Jack's…the pumpkin-king…in charge of Halloween's managements and stuff…oogie boogie was like our boss-man…We had a lot of fun with him," Barrel said. Rift-raft tilted her head, and Barrel almost thought he saw one of her ears twitch. She leaned beside the chute as if listening to something.

"I…hearrr music…." she purred out seeming startled. Barrel paled, but strained to hear. He couldn't hear anything either.

"Er…care to sing it out?" he asked. Rift's eyes closed and she started to hum a very familiar tune.

"_When Mr. Oogie Boogie says there's trouble close at hand….you'd better pay attention now…'cause I'm the Boogie Man…and if you aren't shakin' then there's something very wrong 'cause this may be the last time now...that you hear the boogie song~" _She sang out and Barrel started to tremble a bit, "_Oh, the sound of the dice is music in the air 'cause I'm a gambling' boogie man…although I don't play fair~" _Barrel clapped a hand over her mouth startling her. He put a finger to his mouth and slowly crept backwards but it was too late. The chute started to make gurgling sounds and the pair were jerked forward by a sudden burst of suction. He screamed the entire way down, it would've been hard to figure out which one had a more girly scream. Rift bounced and then rolled to land at the feet of a figure hidden by shadows. Barrel sat up quickly, grabbing his mask and holding it like a shield. He was a little bruised but pretty much fine.

"Hello~ Miss me?" the all-too familiar voice of Oogie Boogie crackled out as he started to laugh. Barrel started to tremble. Their lives had actually improved a bit with Oogie gone, not that he'd say it aloud right here. Shock had become friends with the witches and they'd helped her set up her own clothing shop. Lock hadn't changed much but with age he'd become increasingly charming with the 'ladies' and helped keep a few off of Jack's hands, since he was still dealing with Sally-what with wanting to take things a bit slow so that they could develop a strong relationship before tying the knot. Load of bull. And Barrel? He was young, and still treated like a small child. Not that he minded. He sometimes helped Shock out, when she'd allow for it…Usually it required him parting with his lollipop…since he'd gotten it stuck in one of the dresses the last visit.

"o-oo-oogie," Barrel finally managed to stammer out as he tried to stand up. His legs were shaky like jello though and he ended up back on the ground. He glanced at Rift-raft and noticed that her eyes were still closed. She had a small gash on her eyebrow where she'd hit herself during the fall. He could still see her chest moving slightly with breath, so he wasn't too worried. Well, considering her close proximity to Oogie…he was a little worried. He licked his lips nervously, having lost his lollipop during his fall.

"Well? Why do you look like you've seen a ghost or somethin'…?" Oogie asked, stepping around Rift to approach Barrel. He picked him up and set him on his feet. "How long have I been gone?" He circled Barrel," Why…You've gotten a lot taller…or have I shrunk?" Oogie looked at his hands and then leaned closer to inspect Barrel. "No…no…I think you've grown…where are the other two?" He turned back to look at Rift," Whose the babe?"

"uh…Lock's cousin…Rift-raft…she…just got here today," Barrel said, managing to calm down a bit," Um…should…I go get the others?" He didn't want to leave Rift on her own…but he didn't want to stay here any longer…he needed to talk to Lock and Shock.

"Good idea…Yes…I've got some plans…and they involve a little R-E-V-E-N-G-E~!" Oogie sang out going back over to Rift," Hmm…I need some new blood in this gang…she'll work out fine…Well…go on and get them…" Oogie waved his arm and Barrel took off as fast as he could.

** / ** / ** / ** / ** / **

"Um…Lock…Shock?" Barrel asked entering the room. It looked like the two were having a stare-down.

"WHAT?" They both snapped at the younger one. Then hesitated at how scared he looked.

"What happened?" Shock demanded.

"Where's Rift-raft?" Lock questioned puzzled.

"uh…Oogie's…back," Barrel muttered. Devil and Witch shared a look before laughing.

"Good one Barrel," Lock said elbowing his younger colleague," But don't joke like that…okay?"

"I'm…not kidding…I was…giving Rift a tour…and…she heard singing…and Oogie sucked us down the chute…and she hit her head…and…Oogie sent me to fetch you guys," Barrel said and with every word his voice got softer and softer, so that they had to strain to understand him at the end.

"….Well…best not to…uh…keeping him waiting," Lock said nervously and cleared his throat.

"Lock…what do we do?" Shock demanded, following him.

"Keep our cool…asset the situation…figure out what he wants," Lock said, fixing his hair as he walked.

"But…shouldn't we send word to Jack?" Shock questioned softly.

"For what? We can handle this…besides…who knows…might be fun again…" Lock said with a mischievous glint in his eyes. Shock resisted the urge to punch him. He was right…but she couldn't shake this feeling that she was going to regret doing this somehow. Not telling Jack…seemed like a bad thing…He probably needed to know. Oogie would most likely want revenge…and Shock's life was going great right now. Her business was actually taking off and she was making…friends…they all were…couldn't Lock see that? Maybe it was because Rift was down there with him…that wasn't good.

** / ** / ** / ** / ** / **

"Well Well well….Don't you three look like something…" Oogie said circling the trio like a shark would. "Mmm-mmm….especially you Shock…you've grown into Q-U-I-T-E the lady…" Shock wasn't sure how she liked the sound of that…besides…she was more interested in…a more shapely mate. She glanced at Rift who was still laying on the ground. She seemed okay, but must've hit her head pretty hard in the fall. Part of Shock wanted to go over there and make sure she was going to be okay…to take care of her.

"Oogie…sir…It's great to see you alive and whole…and well again," Lock said, always quick to flatter someone.

"My my Lock…your tongue and vocabulary have grown up so well," Oogie said chuckling darkly," I have plans my young ones…plans…While I labored to get myself back together…with NO outside help-" he planted them with a look. They looked guilty and scared. He chuckled lightly. "-Ah…but you are only kids…what can I expect…but now…you are all grown up…You will be…much more helpful to me…First things first…catch me up on what I've missed since my absence…"

[And now we get to the fun parts….WHEE~ Hope you guys who decided to keep reading this enjoyed it…I enjoyed writing it…it's a bit…rough…but…I've got ideas…Next chapter will take a little while…Feel free to share your thoughts…Reviews are LOVED!]


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